KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 2,852 employers have applied to participate in Malaysia’s Progressive Wage Policy.
Deputy Economy Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib revealed the figures in Parliament on Wednesday.
The policy aims to reform the labour market by raising worker incomes alongside productivity growth.
As of October 21, 1,966 employers had already implemented wage increases under the guidelines.
These increases have benefited 20,737 workers across the country.
Approximately 79.5% of participating employers are micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
MSMEs cover 47.1% of the total workforce benefiting from the wage policy.
Hanifah stated that the government will determine policy extension based on the country’s fiscal position.
Incentive levels will also be decided according to national financial capacity.
The policy implementation has created opportunities to enhance knowledge, particularly in technology.
Most companies face financial constraints in advancing their workforce’s skills despite these benefits.
Improved expertise significantly expands opportunities to broaden and diversify service offerings.
Hanifah expressed hope that advancing technology and knowledge will strengthen workforce absorption capacity across all industries.
She was responding to questions from Mohd Syahir Che Sulaiman regarding the policy’s effectiveness.
The Bachok MP sought the latest assessment of PWP implementation and its impact on MSMEs.
He also inquired about additional fiscal incentives to sustain private sector participation. – Bernama
